After Neris left, Cledwin approached the chair where she had been sitting just a moment ago and infused magic into the handle.

“Master, Neris Trued is strange.”

As if waiting, a light voice came from the direction of the pillar. Cledwin let out a deflating sound.

“I already knew that.”

“If Master tells me to evaluate that child, I would say she’s a very illtempered brat.”

“I did not ask for an evaluation.”

“I did not say I won’t do it if you don’t ask me to. Didn’t you stop arguing when you were young?”

Cledwin did not reply.

Looking at his abilities, he had all kinds of people in his secret group, ‘Yayeon.’ There was no such thing as a goodnatured person even if he looked for one.

If he only obeyed the words of his superiors, he would soon die.

The voice inside the pillar kept talking.

“Do you know what Neris Trued did on her way to the library earlier? She saw the daughter of Count Islani alone and threw a stone. Lianel Berta was accused, and Angarad Nine may have grudges from her hometown. But Lianel Berta was a stranger at the academy, wasn’t she? Acting a little cold towards herself, no, it’s common for high nobles’ grandchildren to act arrogantly, but doing that is really strange behavior.”

“So?”

Cledwin leaned his head against the pillar.

“Don’t you like it?”

“What are you talking about?”

The voice inside the pillar shamelessly replied.

“Since Master chose, we follow.”

“Right.”

Cledwin closed his eyes.

“There’s not much time left. I need more people.”

And they must be trustworthy.

A follower who is not involved in any other forces, a trustworthy subordinate.

(This is a time separator.)

Dance lessons were relatively enjoyed by many children.

First of all, they didn’t have to look at books or critically assess their manners, and they were even encouraged to move their bodies and converse with their partners. There was always music, too.

Because of these various advantages, the children going to dance lessons usually had excited faces.

The expression ‘usually’ was, of course, used assuming some exceptions.

The entrance to the Judith Hall, where the lowergrade dance lessons were held, was lively. The students were busy changing into dance shoes or chatting with friends.

Boys looked at popular girls, and girls looked at popular boys, wondering what they should do to dance with them today.

Alecto Islani didn’t like dance lessons very much. Since she was ignored by an unfortunate classmate last time, she felt that way.

Before entering the academy, as a proud daughter of a count, she had once—secretly—watched a splendid ball and fantasized about dancing skillfully and capturing everyone’s attention someday.

At a ball, those who capture attention are pretty and wealthy children, like Megara.

“Al.”

Idalia, who had accompanied her all the way to Judith Hall because they had the previous lesson together, called Alecto and beckoned to one side.

Alecto looked where Idalia was pointing and frowned. It was Lianel, with her head bowed.

“No one to play with, I guess.”

Alecto said roughly.

Until recently, the person Alecto hated most was Angarad Nine. A wicked and cunning girl.

She tried to please others by poking her face everywhere, and then, as expected, she dared to steal from none other than the daughter of Count Islani. It was natural for everyone to hate such a thief.

But since yesterday’s incident, Lianel Berta had taken Angarad’s place.

Alecto already thought Lianel was too arrogant and needed to be taken down a notch. Even after her true colors were revealed, she occasionally greeted her out of old affection, but to harbor a grudge and throw a stone?
Walking in threes and fives, chattering brightly, the classmates naturally avoided Liarnon, who walked with her head bowed, like a rock thrown into a stream. They did not include her, and they naturally moved aside.

Alecto watched this scene with pleasure and suddenly bent down to pick up a small stone from the ground.

“What are you going to do?”

Idalia’s eyes widened.

Pretending to be good. Alecto secretly scoffed, knowing that Idalia had played a significant role in Liarnon being alone.

But unlike Liarnon, who was merely the second son of a count, Idalia was the daughter of a duke. She couldn’t use the phrase ‘don’t be hypocritical.’

“Don’t stop me.”

This is just revenge for what I received. Alecto confided to Idalia, then took advantage of a moment when the children had almost gone into the building to throw the stone at Liarnon.

It was only a thumbnailsized stone and thrown with a child’s strength, so it wouldn’t cause a wound, but the person who was hit naturally felt pain.

“Ouch!”

Thump! Rolling. Liarnon inadvertently screamed. A few children burst into malicious laughter. Did you hear? Did you hear? ‘Ouch.’ It’s really funny.

Even to Alecto’s eyes, Liarnon’s surprised look was comical. Liarnon looked around and caught Alecto standing still, staring in her direction.

Her face turned bright red as she realized what had happened.

“What’s that?”

“What?”